The Whitehorse Planning Group on Homelessness has released a $39,000-study on youth homelessness in our territory's capital.

The study, Room to Grow: A Made-in-Yukon Model of Service for Homeless Youth, was compiled on behalf of the planning group by consultants Mike Kramer and Heather Finton. It was released at a news conference held Wednesday morning.

According to the consultants, it represents a preliminary action plan and outlines, in a general sense, the needs list of the city's non-profit groups in assisting youth suffering from homelessness.

In the study, the definition of homeless 'is intentionally broad, incorporating short-term and longer-term shelter needs.

' ... (F)or the purposes of this study, homelessness is defined as when someone does not have a safe place to stay tonight.'

Planning group chair George Green, who is set to retire from the position, said his organization decided last March to commission the study to further examine a recognized problem.

'In March of this year, having done some previous research, we decided to do some further research into the problems relating specifically to youth homelessness.

'I'm personally pleased with the report,' Green said.

Finton and Kramer said the report was compiled after researching similar situations in Canada and consultation with stakeholders in the community.

As a result of the research, the report identifies five core areas that are needed to address the youth homelessness problem in Whitehorse.

The five areas identify a need for:

ï An emergency shelter for youth.

ï Transitional and semi-transitional supported housing options.

ï Permanent supported housing options.

ï Affordable and independent housing options.

ï The need for adequate and safe transportation to allow youth access to a safe environment.

ï A wide range of support services provided by a coalition of agencies.

In addressing the five areas, the report recommends:

ï Developing an action-based coalition of service providers and private sector partners who get results in creating and improving housing options that address youth homelessness.

ï Securing sustainable funding.

ï Ensuring funding for funding past March 31, 2006 for the Yukon Family Services Association Youth Outreach Workers, the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society of the Yukon outreach and support program and the Salvation Army emergency shelter.

ï Develop overnight shelter cots and basic food/hygiene services for clients 12 to 18 years old.

ï The provision of emergency shelters for youth aged 18 to 25.

ï Affordable housing initiatives.

ï Affordable, reliable transportation services.

ï Data collection.

Green said in dealing with these issues, a collaborative approach 'with sustainable funding' is required.

While there are no concrete statistics on homelessness, Finton said consultations with stakeholders provided both her and Kramer with a window on the youth homelessness problem in the city.

Asked to provide an example, Finton said that in 2005, an outreach van has made contact 358 times with people aged 29 years old or younger.

She said the number of 358 did not neccessarily mean there were 358 different individuals, just that there had been 358 different occasions where contact had been made with young people.

Kramer said in addressing the problem and acting in a collaborative manner, a variety of funding sources would be necessary.

'While we expect to ask governments for money, in many cases it involves other partners, such as the private sector,' he said.